duck gone broody

[Mrs.H]

Well no ducklings yet. I am getting anxious and since I don't know exactly when she started incubating the eggs I try to slip in and check when she comes off to get some water and a snack. The eggs are always so warm and the air cell is huge at this point with the remainder of the egg being solid. A little anxiety would be relieved if I could just see a little beak poking up into the air cell. She hasn't come off the nest to a couple days so maybe we are in lockdown mode and will have some babies soon!

I agree Sounds like you should have some soon. My first duckling that hatched I didn't see any signs then the next morning POOF baby duckling lol. Good luck keep us posted

 

[danahud]

Just candled the eggs... I have one that wasn't fertile, but the others I can hear peeping and it looks like their little bills have broken into the air sac!!! So exciting!!!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Just candled the eggs... I have one that wasn't fertile, but the others I can hear peeping and it looks like their little bills have broken into the air sac!!! So exciting!!!

Very exciting.. Love lil ducklings

 

[danahud]

It is 28 degrees here today and my eggs are beginning to pip. Momma was off the nest again this morning. I'm getting nervous and wondering if I shouldn't go ahead and move her and the babies to the duck house where it would be warmer with the heat lamp.help!!will she sit back on them if I put them in there with her and close the door for a while??

 

[Miss Lydia]

It is 28 degrees here today and my eggs are beginning to pip. Momma was off the nest again this morning. I'm getting nervous and wondering if I shouldn't go ahead and move her and the babies to the duck house where it would be warmer with the heat lamp.help!!will she sit back on them if I put them in there with her and close the door for a while??

I have moved a mama duck and eggs beginning to pip and she stayed after I closed her up for the day.But I sure would feel bad if you did it and she left. Thing you need to do though is close her up with her nest of eggs, I'd give her water and food inside and leave her the rest of the day. Is she so far been a good brooder? that makes a difference too.

Not sure I'd use a heat lamp unless you know it's secure and safe those things can cause fires so easily. I actually brought my mama ducks and newly hatched ducklings inside in a dog carrier Xlarge for a couple days when our temps dropped below freezing put them in a room that didn't have alot of heat and they did fine. You don't want it to be in the 70's but 40's would be okay mama should keep them warm unless she is hatching alot of eggs. Then she may not be able to keep them all under her.

 

[danahud]

My husband and I moved them this afternoon. I took her down out of the old nest and lined the new one with it hoping she would be able to smell it and know this eggs were hers. She went right in the house, made a few adjustments and long story short she is sitting tight on the eggs. I've read that duck eggs take forever to hatch sometimes. I checked after work tody and didn't hear or see any ducklings so I guess we will just have to hurry up and wait some more!

 

[Miss Lydia]

My husband and I moved them this afternoon. I took her down out of the old nest and lined the new one with it hoping she would be able to smell it and know this eggs were hers. She went right in the house, made a few adjustments and long story short she is sitting tight on the eggs. I've read that duck eggs take forever to hatch sometimes. I checked after work tody and didn't hear or see any ducklings so I guess we will just have to hurry up and wait some more!

Glad to hear it went well. Good news. Yep ducklings take their sweet time in hatching, some as long as 36hrs from pip to zip so be patient. And be sure to let us know.

 

[danahud]

Success.... 8 as of this morning!! We have been gone all day so I'll be able to count this evening.

So blessed to be living this life!!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Success.... 8 as of this morning!! We have been gone all day so I'll be able to count this evening.

So blessed to be living this life!!

What a sweet pic, looks like mom is very attentive!! Congrats!

 

[danahud]

She has been a very good momma so far, which is surprising with her being so young! I've watched her like a hawk this whole time making sure she didn't get cold feet and run out on them!